In his first game back at Target Center since that career night on Nov. 5 that also included 10 assists, Parker managed 17 points and nine assists.

Tim Duncan had 17 points and 13 rebounds, and Manu Ginobili added 16 points for the Spurs, who have won five in a row to rebound from an 0-3 start to the season.

Al Jefferson had 29 points and 13 rebounds for the Timberwolves, who have lost eight in a row and three straight since Kevin McHale took over as coach on Monday.

After some uncharacteristically poor efforts to start the season, the Spurs have held 16 of their last 18 opponents under 100 points. Only twice in the last seven games has a team broken 90.

Parker was sensational the last time he was in this building, hitting a 20-footer at the buzzer to force a second overtime in a game that San Antonio eventually squeaked out for its first victory of the season.

McHale said Thursday that "it took a superhuman performance by Tony for those guys to win that game. Hopefully (Friday night) he'll just be a normal human."

Parker was just that, but it didn't matter for a Wolves team that wilted under San Antonio's trademark nasty defense and missed plenty of open layups and free throws down the stretch.

Parker was held scoreless in the first half and didn't get his first field goal until there were 11 minutes to play in the game. But that got him going in a hurry, just in time to dust off the reeling Wolves.

The Spurs led by eight points going into the fourth, and Parker scored San Antonio's first eight points of the period to take control. He scored 16 points in the quarter, two nights after the Wolves gave up 33 points in the third period to Carmelo Anthony in a loss to the Nuggets.

Notes:@ Mike Miller played after missing four games with a sprained right ankle. Miller attempted just one shot in the first half and finished with three points in 33 minutes. ... The Timberwolves welcomed back Tony Campbell, fifth on the team's career scoring list. ... The Spurs had five players in double figures, including 12 points and seven rebounds from Michael Finley.